


Clear the Skies (It's Still Raining)

by MCUsic_to_my_ears



Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternate Universe - Normal High School, Hospitals, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Suicide attempt, M/M, Medical Procedures, Mental Health Issues, Mental Institutions, Mentions of Cancer, References to Depression, Sick Fic, Unhappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-08 18:57:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11652681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCUsic_to_my_ears/pseuds/MCUsic_to_my_ears
Summary: Tony visits Bruce in the hospital.





	Clear the Skies (It's Still Raining)

“Hello, dear.”

Bruce ducked under his curls, wrapping his arms around himself a little bit tighter, hiding translucent scars against pale, blue cotton. “I can’t do this,” he murmured. “Not again.”

“What? See this devastatingly handsome face? I’m hurt,” Tony pouted, slipping down into the chair across from Bruce's.

“Very funny,” Bruce muttered sarcastically, running a hand through his hair. He looked over at the clock on the wall; there wasn't much time left.

Tony grinned as best he could. “I’m here all week.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, but it lacked his usual finesse.

An empty smile played on Bruce’s lips, “I just seem to keep coming back for more,” he answered, an echo of the sarcasm that Tony knew used to live under the surface of the gray cloud that wholly surrounded Bruce these days.

Tony bit his lip, watching his boyfriend from across the table. “This can be the last time for you,” the teen said, trying to keep his misplaced hope from bleeding through too much.

Bruce picked at his newly cut nails for a moment before glancing up. “Tony,” Bruce protested softly. “I don’t." He pursed his lips. "I can’t _control_ this. Don’t,” Bruce tapped his fingers on the gray-blue tabletop for a moment, thinking. “Don’t expect this- this cycle to stop just because you-” Bruce broke off and Tony could tell by the way that his entire body clenched in on himself that he was holding back a sob.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean- I know that it’s an imbalance of chemicals in your brain.” It was a recitation that had stopped being comforting months ago. 

Shaking his head, Bruce suddenly changed gears. “God, I’m a regular here, Tony. This is my fourth time in this ward.”

Tony threw his hands into the air in frustration. “And I’m not? I’m in and out of this hospital-”

“You’re in _here_ during visitor hours only,” he interrupted quietly. “I’m here all week.” He spat Tony’s own words out like they were poison.

“But your thing doesn’t have to be terminal.”

Bruce rested his head in his hands. “It already is,” he whispered.

Before Tony could try and formulate an answer, an orderly came over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Visiting hours are over, sweetheart,” she informed him. “Right. Sorry, got here late,” he rubbed the back of his neck, feeling phantom sensations of now lost hair prickling along his scalp in goosebumps. “My chemo schedule got shuffled around, cut into our hang out time.” He stood up, using the table as support for his tired limbs. The piece of blue plastic slide down his wrist and Bruce reached over to rub the sharp edge over his fingers for a moment before he let go, walking back to the common room. Tony watched the older nurse, Mary, he knew her well now, usher him out. A few other patients were right behind Bruce; tearful parents leaving alongside Tony. 

Neither looked back. 

**Author's Note:**

> Some background for those who care:  
> This is a high school AU, so they're both teenagers.  
> Bruce is in the psych ward of the hospital after a fourth suicide attempt. Tony staying there for often than not due to his rapidly worsening heart cancer. They met in the hospital after Bruce's second attempt and started dating soon after, both fearing the inevitability of their own deaths.


End file.
